Border agents to be fired for testimonies

sbsun.com ^ | 02/10/2007 | Sara A. Carter

[Boston Blackie]

Two Border Patrol agents who testified against two co-workers convicted of shooting a drug smuggler will be fired for changing their stories about events surrounding the shooting, according to documents obtained by The Sun's sister newspaper, the Ontario-based Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Sources inside the Border Patrol also say Oscar Juarez, a third agent who testified against Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, resigned from the agency last month shortly before he was to be fired.

All three agents gave sworn testimony against Ramos and Compean for the U.S. Attorney's Office, which successfully prosecuted the shooting case in March. The three agents were given immunity in exchange for their testimony despite changing their accounts of the incident several times.

"When you give deals to witnesses like immunity, the government usually gets the testimony (it wants)," said Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, a former judge and prosecutor. "This case is a perfect example."

[philman_36]

What to believe, what to believe...
According to DHS Office of Inspector General investigation memos written less than a month after the shooting, all nine of the agents at the shooting scene, including two supervisors, knew about the shooting and failed to report it.
However, a Homeland Security Report of Incident written in November and released this week contends the nine agents were unaware of the shooting and were not responsible for reporting it.

[SaintDismas]

Let them out, NOW

[sgtbono2002]

Why are these people still in jail?

This case seems so full of holes its unreal.


Why does everyone involved seem to have a Hispanic name?

Why even have a Border Patrol they don't do anything.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Let's not stop at the grunts. Were they pressured by higher ups. This goes right to the top. Border Patrol management are political weenies, who kiss up to the politicians instead of enforcing the law. Guys, ah, remember, the Border Patrol is a LAW Enforcement agency.

Bush is going down with this one, if he doesn't step up and finally, finally become serious about enforcing current law.

If he thinks he can get his "comprehensive immigration reform" bill thru Congress, just remember Justice Harriet Myers and the Dubai Port Snort. GOP politicians are just looking for an opportunity to dump on Bush. Some have chosen poorly and have flipped on the war, but that doesn't go over well with the base. But attacking Bush for 6 years of feckless inaction or wrong action on the border DOES go over with the base.

I predict Bush at 20% approval on the way to single digits, if he doesn't step up and defend HIS own employees, who have been railroaded by an out of control JustUs Department and cowardly managers of the Border Patrol. If push would step up, promise to clean house, fire some people, have a lying, abusive prosecutor brought up on charges and promise to build the fence and enforce current law, if may have a chance in a year or so to get some reform passed.

With zero credibility on the border, he has zero chance for his dream of immigration "reform". Ain't gonna happen and this issue will become the engine to sweep the RINOs out of office in next years primaries.

[libbylu]

Idon't know, don't you feel sorry for a drug smuggler who gets shot in the butt? I say dang shoot everyone of them in the butt... Let them go and fire Sutton. And change the law so that a border agent can fire his gun!

[jim35]

I don't really understand the significance of the discrepencies, aside from the mere fact that they exist.

One discrepency is that the discredited witness said he'd heard a 10-46 call, then later recanted.
Why is this significant?
Other changes in testimony make more sense, ie that the witness didn't smell the marijuana, and heard Compean use an expletive when assaulted, but why lie about the radio call?

Also, what is the truth about whether the nine agents, including 2 supervisors, had been informed about the shooting? The article doesn't mention which story is accurate.

[azhenfud]

Let them go and fire (at) Sutton's butt.

[R. Scott]

Why are these people still in jail?

Sacrificed on the alter of the Latino vote?

[ovrtaxt]

I really, really hope you're right about that.

[Boston Blackie]

Why are these people still in jail? This case seems so full of holes its unreal.

The ACLU would have Ramos and Compean out of prison by now if they were average run of the mill rapists or cop killers.

[philman_36]

...this issue will become the engine to sweep the RINOs out of office in next years primaries.
Everyday Joes on both sides of the political aisle are mad on this issue.
It could just as easily drag the Dems down if they don't do anything in the next two years, or do the wrong thing trying to "fix" the problem.

One coin with two tails.

[Iscool]

globalism and American sovereignty are arch-enemies...Surely by now, everyone knows which side Bush and his gov't are on...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

So after these guys are thrown under the bus for whatever reason, how many border patrol agents are left down there...two or three?

[TomGuy]

If they changed their testimony (lied under oath), they should be charged with with perjury.

If they changed their testimony under oath, that should negate any immunity deal.

===

This whole case just gets stinkier and smellier. It could result in ending several careers and dampening some political ambitions.

Six degrees of separation:

Questions arise from the actual incident
(1)to the drug dealer in Mexico
(2)to a border agent in Arizona
(3)to a DHS agent in El Paso
(4)to Sutton
(5)to Alberto Gonzales
(6)to GW Bush.

[TomGuy]

Let's not stop at the grunts. Were they pressured by higher ups. This goes right to the top.

Connection dots takes this case right to the top alright:

U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexicans'

Posted by Kimberly GG to TomGuy On News/Activism 02/08/2007 11:43:36 AM CST · 40 of 45 "Posts in other threads have indicated a close relationship between Prosecutor Sutton and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales." "Mr. Sutton also serves as the chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) which plays a significant role in determining policies and programs of the Department and in carrying out the national goals set by the President and the Attorney General." I guess we know what those goals are now, don't we! http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/us_attorney/index.html

===

And Sutton is close to GW Bush who is close to AG Gonzales:

U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexicans'
	Posted by Lancey Howard to TomGuy On News/Activism 02/08/2007 11:17:12 PM CST · 57 of 58 Yesterday on Rush's show Roger Hedgecock said that Sutton and Bush are old acquaintances and that Bush appointed Sutton early on (ie., before Gonzales). I'm sure they're all on the same "open borders" page.

===

The mire in the case is turning out to be worse than the Miers case for the Supreme Court.

[westmichman]

This is just more of the same old blame America and Americans for everything mentality that is sweeping the country and I am sick of it.

[Boston Blackie]

C-span covering border agent right now.

[Boston Blackie]

C-span covering border agent case right now.

[TomGuy]

John Culberson (R-TX) has vowed to pitbull the case of the 2 Border Agents to a resolution.

He stated on a radio program yesterday that: Word on the street is that these prosecutions [of border agents] are to placate the Mexican government. He wonders exactly who is behind it and how high up it goes. He has vowed to find out.